How To Deal With Irrational People

Do you want to know how to deal with irrational people?

If you do, then you are not alone.

At one point in our lives, we will come across an irrational person.

These people can be quite impossible to live or work with because they allow their emotions to control them most of the time.

Hence, people around them needed to know how to deal with them to avoid issues.

In this article, we will share some tips and information on how to do so.

So, we advise that you hop on to this train, and get to know how to deal with irrational people.

To begin, we will understand what the term ‘irrational people’ means…

What Does the Term ‘Irrational People’ Mean? – How to Deal With Irrational People

The term ‘irrational people’ is used to describe those who exhibit irrational behaviors.

They are people who think, act and talk without being logical, or reasonable.

In other words, they make decisions or base their actions, speech, and thought on their emotions without thinking intellectually.

As a result of their irrationality, these people can be very emotional when handling situations.

These people hardly give hear to logic and reason, and this can be very frustrating.

Irrational people see the world in whatever way they perceive.

They believe and hold on to their perception, regardless of what the truth might be, or when they are being told otherwise.

This is because they feel justified in their mind by their action or reaction.

In other words, when an issue occurs, an irrational person does not look at that particular issue logically and critically.

When they do this, they let their emotions override them.

Their behaviors are undesirable because they have a negative influence on their lives and the people around them.

Irrational people can be your friends, family members, business partners, colleagues, employees, customers or clients, and so on.

Hence, you need to develop the skills or ability to effectively cope, manage, and deal with them.

Traits of Irrational People – How to Deal with Irrational People

For you to effectively deal with an irrational individual, you need to understand them well.

Hence, we will share with you some traits of irrational people.

They are Highly Emotional

Every human is emotional.

However, irrational people’s emotions run higher.

They are so driven by emotions that they hardly listen to others.

Once they start feeling a certain way, they keep feeling like that even when people try to tell them otherwise.

These people can be difficult to live or work with because they are emotional most of the time.

Irrational people tend to have emotional outbursts frequently.

As a result, they are hardly calm or collected.

They make an issue bigger and worst than it is because they only listen to their emotions.

They Do Away with Logic – How to Deal with Irrational People

As they are highly emotional, they are also illogical.

They never listen to logic.

Even when facts are given, irrational people find it difficult to let go of their emotions and go with logic.

These people do not make logical decisions.

As a result, they make decisions and take actions without reasoning them.

This can make it difficult for them to achieve success.

They Stand on Their Perception

Irrational people distort reality.

They go by what they feel and perceive, even when it is wrong.

No matter what you tell them, they will stand on their perception.

You will hear them say ‘this is not true; I believe that’ or ‘no matter what you say I see it this way’

Their emotions and perception beat any logic you might present to them.

They Jump to the Worst Conclusion – How to Deal with Irrational People

Irrational people are good at jumping to the worst conclusion.

Since they are highly emotional and do not make use of logic, they only stick by what they feel and perceive.

So, once there is a situation, their emotion starts running around.

Rather than examine the situation logically and find a solution to it, they jump to the worst conclusion.

This is a result of their catastrophic thoughts.

When they are emotional they feel like things can go down badly.

For example, if an irrational person’s business has financial issues; such a person will start panicking and feel that it is the end.

Rather than look for a way out, their emotions will be in control and they will feel like they cannot do anything again.

Check here to discover why we jump to conclusions and how it can be stopped.

They Negatively Self-label – How to Deal With Irrational People

As a result of their catastrophic thoughts, irrational people do a lot of negative self-labeling.

Most of these people’s thoughts and beliefs come from their emotions.

These people often hold on to negative feelings more than positive ones.

As a result, these people follow those feelings and tag themselves with negative things.

Instead of understanding or reasoning an issue or situation, they minimize the whole thing and focus on the punishing or negative part of things.

They filter out positive things and stick to the negativity.

This will make them start labeling themselves with negative things.

They Personalize

These people blame themselves for things beyond their control.

They attribute disasters, failures, and problems to their actions or words when they did not have any hand in them.

The reason for this is that most of them believe that their ‘goodness’ can prevent certain outcomes.

For example, if an irrational person has ill thoughts towards someone and something bad happens to the person, the irrational person might feel like they caused it.

Yes, it is right for people to take responsibility for their actions and words.

However, it is not rational or healthy for a person to take on blames for things that they had no hand in.

Tips on How to Deal With Irrational People

Now that you have a better understanding of who irrational people are, we will share with you tips on how to deal with them.

Bear in mind that it will not be so easy to effectively deal with them.

However, you can do it.

1. Acknowledge Their Emotions

As we have been saying, irrational people are highly emotional.

They listen to their emotions and not logic.

In other words, they feel a lot.

Hence, their emotions can range from happiness to sadness, to anger or depression.

Whatever their feeling is at a moment is what they base their decisions or actions on.

Let’s assume you have an irrational business partner who got upset over the low sales of the business.

At that moment, they can decide to close down the business because they are upset.

If you do not deal carefully with that person, they will not continue the business with you.

So, how do you deal with irrational people when they are displaying emotions?

What you ought to do is to acknowledge their emotions.

Here are some steps that will help you do that:

Acknowledge What They are Feeling – How to Deal with Irrational People

To acknowledge the feelings of irrational people, you should exhibit empathy.

Yes, you might not understand their feelings, but they need to believe that you are on the same page with them.

So, tell them that their feelings are not misplaced, and you get why they feel like that.

Make use of acknowledging statements like ‘I understand that you are upset’

When you do this, it will help diffuse and calm them down a little.

Encourage them to Go on – How to Deal with Irrational People

Yes, this might not be what you wanted to hear, but irrational people need to vent out when they are emotional.

Keeping it bottled up can cause a terrible outburst later.

So, after you have confirmed their feelings, encourage them to say more.

You can say things like ‘is that all that is bothering you?’ or ‘please if there is more, tell me’

Ensure that your tone expresses concern.

When they are done venting out, you should still acknowledge their feelings

From there on, they will be calm to listen to you better.

Also, when you do this, you will get to understand the meaning or reason behind their emotion.

As a result, you will know how to effectively follow up on the issue.

2. Get to Know Their Triggers – How to Deal with Irrational People

If you want to effectively deal with an irrational person, you should not just stop at acknowledging their feelings.

You will need to know and understand their feelings and the reasons behind them.

These reasons are what usually triggers them and make them emotional and unreasonable.

For example, your romantic partner can be someone who gets unreasonable and emotional when you do not contact them for a whole day.

Even if you have a good reason for not contacting them, they might not listen.

So, to avoid issues with them, you might have to try to keep in contact with them every day.

Yes, this could be difficult, but where it is possible for you to do so, it might be the best way.

The only way to avoid triggering irrational people is to get to know their triggers and avoid them.

Once you can do this, you will find it easier to live, work, and associate with them.

3. Remain Calm

Whenever you are dealing with an irrational person, there is a high tendency that you would want to lose your cool and scream down the roof.

However, you should not do this.

Rather, stay calm and collected.

When you get upset, frustrated, or angry, you will not find solutions to issues.

So, stay calm!

When you are getting stressed and close to losing your composure, you can make use of a technique called ‘3 strikes’ to stay calm.

The following are the steps to this technique:

Step 1 – How to Deal with Irrational People

When you are close to losing your composure, think or reflect on the first response you would like to give to the individual.

Your response could be words or actions.

They are usually defensive.

When you have thought about it, do not do it.

Instead, take a deep breath in and breathe out.

Step 2 – How to Deal with Irrational People

After you have done step one, think or reflect on the second response you would like to give to the irrational individual.

This time, the responses are often to get even or to give an ultimatum.

However, do not do this also.

Again, take a deep breath in and breathe out.

Step 3 – How to Deal with Irrational People

Lastly, think or reflect on the third response you would like to give to that irrational individual.

This time around, people’s responses are usually to find a solution.

If that is yours, then you are back to being rational.

So, take a deep breath in and breathe out.

You can then move on to communicate with the irrational individual.

However, if you reflected on your third response, and it is not to find a solution, then you should keep reflecting on your responses till they become rational.

4. Try to Restore Reality – How to Deal with Irrational People

As we earlier mentioned, irrationally people often distort reality.

They just focus on their emotions.

So, to deal with them, you have to open their eyes to the reality of things.

This can be quite difficult because irrational people stick to their perceptions.

However, you can make them see reason.

Before you can do this, you should have helped them see that you are on the same page.

This will help to reduce the intensity of their emotion.

Once that is done, it will be easier to break through their resolve to stick to what they believe.

So, you could say something like ‘I know you are feeling this way, and I understand, but I feel that…’

you are trying to make them believe that you are coming from the place of feelings.

5. Do not take Their Actions/Words Personally

You should understand that irrational people speak and act from the place of emotions.

Most times, they say things that can be hurtful or mean.

However, learn to not take them personally.

They oftentimes do not mean them.

At that moment they are just letting their emotions override them.

For example, if you refuse your irrational child to stay back home instead of going out for a party, there is a high tendency that they will become emotional.

At that moment they could say hurtful words such as ‘I hate you’ or ‘I wish I had another parent’.

Those kinds of words will hurt you.

Nonetheless, remember the source of those words and do not take them personally.

If you take them personally and become angry about them, you might become irrational too at that moment and this can cause more issues.

So, avoid doing so.

In some cases, when they remember those hurtful words or actions later, they might apologize about them.

6. Ask for Facts or Data – How to Deal with Irrational People

In cases where an irrational person refuses to listen to you even after you tried restoring reality, then you should demand facts or data to back up their claims or thoughts.

For example, if your business partner wants to cancel the agreement with a good supplier who supports your business, then you should ask why.

Their reason might be based on the feelings or assumptions they have.

When there is no good data or reason to back up their claims, you should know that they are just being irrational.

So, what you should do at this point is to share the facts or data you have concerning the matter or issue that is happening.

Once you have done that, ask them again to give you solid data or reason to back their claims or thoughts.

When they cannot, then you should state out your facts or data again and speak more on them.

This may help to make the irrational person see your point.

7. Listen to Them

When you are communicating with irrational people, ensure that you listen well to them.

This will help you to identify facts, and the points they are making.

You need to listen to understand what their thoughts about a matter are based on.

While you listen to them focus on facts alone.

This will ensure that you do not become emotional over something they said.

When they are not sharing any facts, then just as we earlier you should specifically ask them to.

8. Identify Mutual Grounds – How to Deal with Irrational People

While paying attention to irrational people as they speak, consciously seek to identify their most important things.

If you discover them, think of a way that you can merge what you desire or want with theirs.

Despite the differences between people’s views when there is an issue, there are also common values.

Most times, these common values are hidden by people’s emotional reactions at that moment.

However, when you can identify those things that are very important to you and others, you will discover a mutual ground.

This mutual ground can help to lift your conversations with irrational people off emotional grounds and focus their attention on coming up with a solution.